Merrylands isn’t the typical place you would chose to go out for dinner, and with the abundance of cafes and restaurants available in Parramatta only 5 minutes away it is easy to see why. However, if you venture out of your comfort zone, you will discover a place rich in culture, and probably some good food while you are at it too.

I decided to try out an Afghan restaurant called Mazar. This first dish is called ” Mahecha Palaw”.

Bulani – Afghani bread pockets with fillings such as potato, chives, pumpkin and more. (Not sure what the and more part entails…)

Delicious bread served with your meal. Massive size.

Finish off with a little Afghan Tea.

Forgot to mention the Dough. It is a cucumber and mint yoghurt drink. The restaurant next door makes it a little thicker and ‘yoghurtty’, whereas this version is little less thick and saltier. I prefer this version as it tastes a little more refreshing.

The feast. (Banana peel not included)

Mazar is conveniently located just a short stroll from the station (for those non-drivers). Some areas can be a little quiet, so bring some friends along and enjoy a traditional Afghan feast.

The carrot puree has quite a sweet flavour, which is quite a common pairing when it comes to Pork Belly dishes. In this instance, it did not work for me (subjective). The Pork Belly was okay. It could do with some sides to balance to dish a little better.

Quite a unique and pretty looking dessert. Could do with a little more strawberry ice cream, to compensate for the generous chocolate soil provided. Could do with a little more fresh berries.

Overall

The staff are super friendly and helpful, however unfortunately I do find the food does need a little refining. I think simplicity is the key in this instance. I would rather eat something basic and well cooked rather than something that is confusing and complicated…

Perhaps my experience will be different next time round, but for now it was just okay.

We finish off with 2 plates of Banana Fritters. We were stuffed by the end of it, and realised we should have just ordered the one plate. They have an option to get the ‘premium’ ice-cream. The standard option is more like a soft style ice cream.